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L (No Model.

J. HUGILL & A. G. SMYTH.

. METAL FENCE POST. No. 261,230. Patented July 18, 1882.

UNITED STATES JONATHAN HUGILL AND ABSALOM G. SMYTH, OF HAMILTON, ONTARIO CANADA.

M ETAL FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 261,230, dated July 18, 1882. Application filed October 1, 1881. (No model.) Patented in Canada October 12, 1881, No. 13,526.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JONATHAN HUGILL, of the city of Hamiltomin the county ot'Wentworth, in the Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, and ABSALOM GRIFFIN SMYTH, of the same place, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal Fence- Posts; and we do hereby declare that the following is'a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is an outside view of the entire post. Fig.2 is a similar view, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a section through the line w 00. Fig. 4 is a view showing device for fastening the wire. Fig. 5 is the wire-fastening pin. Fig. 6 is a section showing the wire in position as fastened by a pin; Fig. 7, bottom cutting-edge.

The improvement consists, first, in a hollow cylindrical metal fence-post with spiral ribs projecting from the outside of the lower portion of the cylinder, and having the bottom out off parallel to the said spiral rib and forming a strong vertical cutting-edge, for the purpose of cutting a circular groovein the ground, so that the post may be easily screwed into the earth without digging ahole.

The improvement consists, second, in that the portion of the post above the ground, being U-shaped, leaves a convenient space to form suitable strips across, each strip being provided with a suitable recess to attach and fasten the wires of the fence to the post by a pin in front of the wires.

It will be observed that a suitable wrench, with double handles, made to fit upon the upper portion of the post will turn it down into the ground.

The bottom end of the post is cut off in a line with the spiral rib; or, in other words, it has the same pitch as the spiral rib, which serves a double purpose-first, it gives more strength to that portion which forms a cutting-edge, so that it will more effectually resist a stone and turn it aside than when made in a simple projection beyond the bottom; secondly, it gives the proper shape, so that the bottom cannot comein contact with anyof the same time cutting the earth-core, which passes up into the cylinderin such amanner that the bottom end of said core is more firmly attached to the main earth.

The vertical cutting-edge cl, which may extend lengthwise of the cylinder, or nearly so, is formed for the purpose of cutting a circular groove in the ground, to be occupied by the cylinder, and at the same time the ground inside of said cylinder remains undisturbed thereby requiring less force to rcvolve'the post when being placed into the ground, and, by beveling said cutting-edge upon the outside of the cylinder and none whatever upon the inside, causes the earth to become more solid and firmly packed upon the outside of the cylinder, which will more effectively sustain the post in an upright position, which is of considerable importance in light or loose soils.

That portion of the post above ground is made in the form of a half-circle with extended edges, giving the form of a U-a favorable shape for giving good strength for small quantity of metal, easily cast, and provides a convenient space to form fastenings for retaining the wires 0 in position, and which are castwith the post. Said fastenings consist of a strip of metal, 0, extending crosswise of the post and united to the edges ff of the post, said strip containing an opening, h, wherein are shouldersp p, and between said shoulders is a hole, S, extending through said strip lengthwise of the post.

After the post is set in the ground and the wires placed in position in front of their respective fastenings, take an iron of suitable form, and with a hammer force the wire into the opening h, so that a pointed metal pin, d, inserted into the opening or hole S will reach down and the pointed end come in front of the wire. Then drive the pin to its proper place, and the wire will be securely fastened, so that if a wire becomes broken between two posts it will remain firm upon the other sides of said posts on account of the short bend produced in the wire around the pin d by the shoulders p p.

2. In a metal fence-post, the strip 0, opening h, hole S, and shoulders p,combined and constructed substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JONATHAN HUGILL. ABSALOM GRIFFIN SMYTH.

In presence of- WM. BRUCE, E. MoIN'rY-RE. 

